Longtime gymnastics federation president Grandi dies at 85

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Bruno Grandi, the longtime president of the International Gymnastics Federation who oversaw changing the "perfect 10" scoring system, has died. He was 85.

The FIG said Grandi, the federation leader from 1997-2016, died Friday in Italy after an unspecified illness.

Grandi was "a warm man with a strong sense of justice," the federation said, praising his reforms to help gymnastics "gain credibility, popularity and universality."

Disputes in gymnastics at the 2004 Athens Olympics led to a review of the scoring system and replacing the maximum mark of 10.

Under Grandi's leadership, the gymnastics body also imposed minimum age limits in competition — 16 for females and 18 for males.

"This measure strove to combat the intensive training imposed on children in certain countries and to reduce the risk of injuries," the FIG said.

Grandi was an International Olympic Committee member for four years through 2004.

FILE - In this Tuesday Oct. 17, 2006 file photo, International Gymnastics Federation president Bruno Grandi attends the men's team final at the Gymnastics World Championships at the NRGi Arena in Aarhus, Denmark. Bruno Grandi, the longtime president of gymnastics’ world governing body who oversaw changing the “perfect 10” scoring system, had died. He was 85. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) says Grandi, its leader from 1997 to 2016, died Friday Sept. 13, 2019, in Italy after an unspecified illness. less

FILE - In this Tuesday Oct. 17, 2006 file photo, International Gymnastics Federation president Bruno Grandi attends the men's team final at the Gymnastics World Championships at the NRGi Arena in Aarhus, ... more

Photo: Matt Dunham, AP

Photo: Matt Dunham, AP

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FILE - In this Tuesday Oct. 17, 2006 file photo, International Gymnastics Federation president Bruno Grandi attends the men's team final at the Gymnastics World Championships at the NRGi Arena in Aarhus, Denmark. Bruno Grandi, the longtime president of gymnastics’ world governing body who oversaw changing the “perfect 10” scoring system, had died. He was 85. The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) says Grandi, its leader from 1997 to 2016, died Friday Sept. 13, 2019, in Italy after an unspecified illness. less

FILE - In this Tuesday Oct. 17, 2006 file photo, International Gymnastics Federation president Bruno Grandi attends the men's team final at the Gymnastics World Championships at the NRGi Arena in Aarhus, ... more

Photo: Matt Dunham, AP

Longtime gymnastics federation president Grandi dies at 85

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"One of his top priorities was always to ensure fair refereeing," IOC president Thomas Bach said in a statement. "He fought for this with all his energy and passion, something that his many friends and myself will remember him for."

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